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FOLK-LORE JOURNAL,
THE WORKING COMMITTEE OF THE SOUTH
AFRICAN FOLK-LORE SOCIETY.
,Semper novi quid ex Africa.
VOL. I.-PART II.,
MARCH,
CONTENTS.
Ulusanana ......
Siswana Sibomvana... ...
Makanda Mahlanu ... ...
"The Gods of the Basuto"
Customs and Superstitions
among the Betshutna
The Ceremony of Dipheku...
S PAGE
Received from the Rev. A. Kropf.... 20
,, ,, aMr. G. Me. Theal. ... 26
,, ,, ) ) 1 ... 28
the Rev. A. Kropf.... 32
,, Miss J. P. Meezosen. 33
,, the Rev. Roger Price. 35
CAPE TOWN:
SAUL SOLOMON & CO,, PRINTERS, 40 & 42, ST. GEORGE'S-STREET,
1879.
EDITED BY
1879.
CAPEf TOWN
SAUL SOLOMON AND CO.
rRlNTEItS.
ULUSANANA.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
The following story has been sent to the Grey Library,
from the King William's Town Division of the Cape
Colony, by the Rev. A. Kropf, Superintendent of Berlin
Missions. The information contained in the notes attached
to it has likewise been supplied by Mr. Kropf, to whom no
ULUSANANA.
Ziti intombazana, zakuka ikala, zilandelwe yinkwenkwana
encinane, nguLusanana igama layo. Wati udade wayo
omkulu: Buya! Yahamba yona noko, ayavuma ukubuya.
Bati he .bafike emlanjeni omkulu, baze bayikande
lenkwenkwe ngembokotwe, bayicukuceze, bayicole, bayipose
emanzini, bemke. Yati ke lenkwenkwe ebuleweyo yasala,
yavuka, bengaseko sebemkile, yabalandela yahamba ngo-
mkondo wabo, yakangela amanyatela abo, yabafumana
endleleni. Iti yakujika ezintombazaneni, inxanyelwe uku-
bulawa kanjako ngudade wayo omkulu. Ati ke amangale
omnye udade wayo omncinane, ade alile udade wayo omnci-
nane. Ati ke udade wayo omnoinane: Yiyeke ngoku!
Ayeke ke udade wayo omkulu, akubona ukuba udade wayo
omncinane elila.
Yana imvula enkulu. Wati ke uLusanana: Ndingatsho
ukuba indlu mayivele, singaneti ngoku. Atike udade omkulu:
Kauwenze, umtakama, singaneti. Ati ke uLusanana: A-
singuwe na lo ubindicumcumza ?-Kauwenze noko, umtakama.
Aske uLusanana agaule uluti, aske aluxumeke. Asike inca
ati ke: Ndingatsho lendlu ingazifulela ngokwayo. Iske
indlu izifulele ngokwayo ngoku. Iti ke lendlu xa izifulele
ngokwayo, ati uLusanana: Ndingati ndingawenza umlilo
SLeaves of aloes are used medicinally, inwardly and outwardly, by
Kafirs, and the dry leaves are pounded for strengthening snuff.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
other stories about Ulusanana are known. A boy deliverer
seems to be a somewhat favourite figure in South African
aboriginal literature ; and is found in Bushman, as well as in
Bantu folk-lore.
ULUSANANA.
Some girls went to fetch leaves of aloes.* A little boy,
Ulusanana by name, followed them. His eldest sister said:
"Go back." He went nevertheless ; he would not turn back.
They came to a large river ; pounded the boy with a
round stone, crushed him, took him and threw him into the
water, and went away. But the boy, though killed, rose
up. The girls having left, he followed their track, looking
at their footprints, until he found them in the road. When
he came to them, he was nigh to be killed again by his eldest
sister. But his younger sister was against it, his younger
sister wept, and said: "Let him alone for the present."
His elder sister let him alone, when she saw her younger
sister crying.
It commenced to rain very heavily. Ulusanana said:
"I can make to appear here a house, that we may not get
wet." His elder sister said: "1 Do it! my child (literally,
child of my mother), that we may not get wet." Ulusanana
said: Was it not you, who crushed me ?"-" Do it never-
theless, my child."-Then Ulusanana cut sticks, put them
into the ground, cut grass, and said: "I can make the
house that it thatches itself." Then the house thatched
itself. When the house thatched itself, Ulusanana said : I
t The girls pounded the boy by means of a stone, round or oval-
shaped ; any stone that is fit to pound or grind, on another stone, coffee,
maize, &c., is called imbokotwce.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
uvele ngoku. Aske uLusanana awenze umlilo ubemkulu.
Atike akuwenza umlilo ubeko, ube mkulu, bahlaleke balamba.
Ati ke uLusanana: Ndingati ndingakwenza ukudla kubeko,
kuvele kokwetu. Kusuke kuvele kunene ukudla. Basuka
balala lakotshona ilanga.
Kuti ke bakubon' ukuba balele, kufike inunu ebusuku. Iti
ke yakufika:
Ndodla l1,* Ndodla li,
Zendisule ngalo; Zendisule ngalo;
Ndodla 1l, Ndodla lB,
Zendisule ngalo; Zendisule ngalo;
Ndodl lI, Ndodla lb,
Zendisule ngalo; Zendisule ngalo;
Ndodla lb, Ndodla lb,
Zendisule ngalo; Zendisule ngalb;
Ndodla 15, Ndodla 16,
Zendisule ngalb; Zendisule ngalo;
Ndodla lb, Ndogqibela ngo Lusanana,
Zendisule ngalb; Inkosi yabo, ukudla."
Itsho ke lonto imke.
Asuke uLusanana ebusuku, azivuse intombi, ngokuba
ebengalalanga, ebehleli yakufika inunu, eyati yona:
"Ndodla 15, Ndogqibela ngoLusanana,
Zendisule ngalb; Inkosi yabo."
Kwati ke emveni koko, wasuka unizna, ekaya, wati:
"Ndiboniseleni Uncebe- Animcolanga na Uncebe-
ngwana,f ngwana
N Ndodla lb, zendisule ngalb &c. Literally it means : "I shall eat
this (girl), I shall wipe my mouth with that (girl)," i. e., according
to Kafir idiom, I shall finish with that (girl)," meaning, "I shall eat
both girls."
t Uncebengwana seems to be the name of Ulusanaa, Ulusanana is
dimin. of child.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
can make fire coming forth immediately." Then Ulusanana
made a great fire. When he had made the big fire, they
felt hungry. Ulusanana said: I can make that food comes
forth from home." Indeed there came forth food. When
the sun went down, they went to sleep.
When they were asleep, there came a hobgoblin* (literally,
anything that does harm), in the night. It said :
"I shall eat this,
I shall devour that (i.e.,
girl) ;
I shall eat this,
I shall devour that ;
I shall eat this,
I shall devour that;
I shall eat this,
I shall devour that;
I shall eat this,
I shall devour that ;
I shall eat this,
I shall devour that;
I shall eat this,
I shall devour that;
I shall eat this,
I shall devour that;
I shall eat this,
I shall devour that;
I shall eat this,
I shall devour that;
I shall eat this,
I shall devour that;
I shall finish
By eating up Ulusanana."
After having said so, it disappeared. Ulusanana rose up
in the night, and roused his sisters; he had not slept, he was
awake when the hobgoblin arrived and said:
"I shall eat this, &c., &c., &c.
I shall devour that (i.e., (to be repeated as above.)
girl);"
After this was done, their mother at home sangf :
"Show me Uncebengwana Have you not seen Nce-
bengwana
0The hobgoblin is the same, who appears afterwards as cannibal
Inunu is anything, animal, man, especially insect, that does harm to
people.
t The mother is singing at home, from sympathy with the absent
boy. She seems to have some foreboding of his being in danger;
therefore, she wishes by her song to see him back at home.
rOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
Ekaya ekwabo !
Elityeni ka Mcoyana.*
EMcaya ekwatbo ?
Ndinga Mcoyana? "?
Zisuke ke ezantombazana kulendlu, zigoduke, zifike
umlambo uzele. Ati ke uLusanana : Ndingawela, nokuba
umlambo uzele. Asuke atsibe amise ngapesheya ngenyawo
zake, angdwavi amanzi. Atike ahlale kona. Zisuke zilile
intombi zonke zisiti: Yiza usiweze, Lusanana! Ati uLusa-
nana: Andiyi kuniweza, kukuba benindicumcumza. Size
ke isidlabantu ukuzidla intombazana. Ati ke uLusanana
ehleli pesheya, asuke agqite atate intombazana zibembini,
aziweze. Asuke agqite kanjako angaweva amanzi, ahambe
njengentaka aziweze zonke.
Ati ke unina:
Ndiboniseleni Uncebe-
ngwana,
Ekaya ekwabo !
Elityeni ka Mcoyana.
Kutwe ke: Dlula ukabona
enkundleni. t
Animcolanga na
ngwana,
Ekaya ekwabo ?
Ndinga Mcoyana ?
umzi omkulu onomti omkula
This fable was given to me by the Rev. A. Johl, as he
heard it. I translated it as near as possible to Kafir, but so
0 So far as I could ascertain, the stone of Mlcoyana is the home,
Mcoyana is the father; but this explanation does not yet satisfy me.
( The passage Ndinga MLioyaAia is difficult to translate; the Kafirs
said it is contracted from Ndinga yana kttMicoyana ? but could not give
me the reason, why the mother said so.
+ The last sentence is dark, and to my mind gives an answer to the
wailing of the mother: Go farther to see," &c., You will find at that
place your children."
Uncebe-
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
At his home his place At his home ? his place ?
At the stone of Mcoyana. Shall I go to Mcoyana ?"
The girls rose and left the house. In going home, they
came to a full river. Ulusanana said: "I can pass the
river, though it is full." He jumped, and stood on the
opposite bank, without having touched the water. He
remained there. All the girls (or, All his sisters) com-
menced crying, and said: Come and bring us over,
Lusanana !" Ulusanana said: I shall not bring you over,
for you have crushed me."
There came a cannibal to eat up the girls. Ulusanana,
being on the opposite side, went directly over, and took two
of the girls, and brought them over. He went again with-
but touching the water, like a bird, and brought over all
the girls.
Then their mother sang :
"Show me Uncebe- Have you not seen Ncebe'
ngwana ngwana
At his home his place! At his home ? his place ?
Atthe stone of Mcoyana. Shall I go to Mcoyana ? "
It was said: Go farther to see (or, Then you will see)
a great village, with a great tree that stands at the kraal."
that it might be understood. It seems to me a beautiful
illustration of St. Matth. 5, 44.
A. KRorF.
Stutterheim, January 3, 1879.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
With regard to the following story, Mr. Theal remarks:
An animal which usually lives in water, and which
swallows persons and even cattle, all of which remain alive
INTSOMI KA SISWANA SIBOMVANA.
(Contributed by Mr. G. Me. Theal.)
Kwati kudala inkwenkwe etile egama lalingu Siswana
Sibomvana. Kuteke ngemini itile yayakulima lenkwenkwe.
Xa ke yayilima yaxanwa ngokunjalo yayakusela amanzi
ecibini.
Kute ngebaqo unina wafika, wati, msa ukuwasela
lamanzi ngokuba akumazi uniniwo." Ute yena ndiya-
kuwasela." Ute ke ukupendula unina, "uyakubulawa
ngumnini walamanzi." "Andikatali, ngokuba ndiyakufa
.mna ndedwa," watsho ukupendula. Uteke unina, "ndiya-
kumka xa uwaselayo lamanzi."
Ngokunjalo emkile ke unina. U-Siswana Sibomvana
uwasele. "Kungokuba kutinina lento uwaselayo lamanzi
am? Unyoko ebengakuxelelangana ukuba uze ungawaseli
lamanzi ?" watsho umnini wamanzi. Ndiyakukubulala,
ngokuba unyoko ebekuxelele ukuba msa ukuwasela lamanzi,"
watsho umnini wamanzi futi.
Emveni koku u-Siswana Sibomvana uwacimile amehlo ake
samnjenyake isilo eso. Simkile saya apo sihlala kona ecibini
elikulu. Sifikile ke kwelocibi sahlala ngapandle ngenxa
yokusindwa sisisu saso.
Xa ke besisahleli isilo eso kupume isele elikulu ecibini, lati,
bendikuxelele ukuba uze ungamginye lomntu usele amanzi
ako, ngokuba uyakufa sizeke tina singabi namntu woku-
sigcina ?" Emveni kokuba litshilo ke elisele latshona
kwasigcibini apo.
POLX-LORfl JOURNAL.
for an indefinite time afterwards, is one of the most familiar
characters in Kaffir tales."
STORY OF LITTLE RED STOMACH.
There was, in times of old, a certain boy by the name of
Little Red Stomach. On a certain day, that boy went to
till the ground. While he was hoeing, he became thirsty,
and accordingly he went to drink water out of a pool.
Then suddenly his mother came, and said, Do not
drink that water because you do not know the owner." He
said, I will drink." Then his mother answered and said,
"You will be killed by the owner of the water." I do
not care, because I will die alone," he replied. Then his
mother said, I will go away when you drink this water."
Accordingly his mother went away. Little Red Stomach
then drank. "Why is it that you have drunk my water ?
Did not your mother tell you not to drink this water ? "
said the owner of the water. I will kill you, because
your mother told you that you were not to drink this
water," said the owner of the water often.
After this, Little Red Stomach closed his eyes, and was
swallowed by this beast. The beast then went away to the
place where it lived, in a large pool of water. When the
beast reached that pool of water, he remained outside of it
on account of the weight of his stomach.
When this beast had thus remained a while, a large frog
came up out of the pool, and said, Did I not tell you that
you must not swallow that person who drinks your water,
because you will die and then we shall have no one to take
charge of us ? After this frog had so spoken, he sank
down there, in the pool of water.
FOLI-LORE JOURNAL.
Kute ukutshona kwelanga sati isilo eso ndiyalunywa."
Ekabeni kunjalo sibize zonke izilo ezikwelioibi,, sati pula-
pulani into ndinixelele." Zipumile ke zonke izilwana ezihlala
kwelicibi. Sati, nonke ngabanye aninamhlobo ningaya
kuye." Ngokunjalo ke zimkile zaya ezihlotyeni zazo.
Emveni kokuba zimkile sifile esisilo. Kanti u-Siswana
Sibomvana usapilile esisweni sesilo. Urole isitshetshe sake
wasika isisu sesilo wapuma. Ute akuba epumile wagoduka.
Eikile ekaya ute kunina, ndandikuxelele ukuba andiso-
kufa ?" "Ndandigazi, mtwana war, ukuba uyakuba
neqinga lokusinda," watsho unina. Ke wahlala u-Siswana
Sibomvana kulomzi wakowabo.
Told by Nojeyi, Nojayit, and Nosanayi, three women of the Gaika
clan.
Although the hero of the story of Five Heads is not
here said to be a snake, he is, as Mr. Theal informs us, well
known to the Kafirs to be one. This [story], adds Mr.
Theal, "is evidently only a fragment. In another tale,
INTSOMI KA MAKANDA MAHLANU.
(Contributed by Mr. G. Me, Theal.)
Kwati intombi ezimbini zayakumba iminqate. Ite enyd,
" andisokuya."
Iungokuba kutenina lento ungavumiyo ukuhamba nam?"
yabuza enye intombi.
Yatike ukupendula, "ndifuna ukuba ndiye kwendela ku
Makanda Mahlanu."
rOLI-LORE JOURNAL.
About sunset, that animal said, I have a stomach ache."
As it was so, all the animals collected at that pool of water,
and he said, "Pay attention to the thing that I tell you."
Then all the little animals that lived in that pool of water
paid attention. He said, "All of you are left here without
a friend." Then accordingly they all went away to their
friends.
After they had all gone away, this animal died. But
Little Red Stomach was still alive in the stomach of the
animal. He pulled out his knife, and cut open the stomach
of the animal, and came out. When he had come out, he
went home.
Having arrived at his home, he said to his mother, "Did
I not tell you that I would not die?" "I did not know,
my child, that you had a plan of safety," said his mother.
Then Little Red Stomach remained at the village of his
parents.
Makanda Mahlanu is represented as a young chief who
was bewitched, and compelled to assume the form of an
enormous snake with five heads. Ultimately, he was restored
to his natural form by the caresses of his bride."
STORY OF FIVE HEADS.
Once upon a time two girls were going to dig wild carrots.
One of them said, I will not go"'
Why is it that you are unwilling to go with me ?" asked
the other girl.
She answered, I want to be married to Five Heads."
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
"Ukuba utshoke, xelela ubawo,"-yatsho enye intombi.
Kuteke emveni koko yemka, yay emzini ka Makanda
Mahlanu. Ifikileke kona igosana lalumzi libuzile apo ivela
kona. Ngokunjalo ix'elile apo ivela kona nento ayenzileyo
kulomzi ka Makanda Mahlanu.
Limkile ke ixegwazana laya kushumayeza unina ka
Makanda Mahlanu lento itetwa yintombi yasemzini. Ekuvile
ke oko unina ka Makanda Mahlanu uye kuyitabata wayizisa
endlwini yake. Utabate ukuko wayandlalela. Kute ngo-
kuhhlwa wafika u-Makanda Mahlanu evela kuzingela.
Ubuzile lomntu, uvela pina ?"
Ute unina, buza kuye."
Ngokunjalo u-Makanda Mahlanu ubuzile apo ivela kona.
lyixelile intombi into eyihambelayo kulomzi wake.
Uteke u-Makanda Mahlanu, "ukuze ndikuzeke kuqala
adiyakutumela isigitshimi ku yihlo sokuqondisa ukuba
uvunyelwe nguye ukuzekwa ndim.'
Intombi leyo ivumile isigitshini situnyiwe. Sabuya nezwi
eliti abanasimangalo ukuba intombi iyamtanda lomntu.
Ngokunjalo wati u-Makanda Mahlanu nabantu balomzi
wake, niyakolwana ukuba lentombi ndizeke ?" Bavumile,
Uyilobole ngenkomo ezimashumi mabini. Ikazi lisiwe
kulontombi. Kwabulelwa kakult ngabazali bayo. Sigodukile
ke esitunywa saxela ukuba babulele kakulu. Yahlalake
lentombi kulomzi ka Makanda Mahlanu, yendziwa umfazi
omkulu.
Told by Noti and Nothembai two Gaika women.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
"As you say so, tell father," said the other girl.
Then, after that, she went away to the village of Five
Heads. When she arrived, the man in charge of that village
enquired where she came from. Accordingly she told where
she came from, and what her business was at the village of
Five Heads.
Then a little old woman went away and told the mother
of Five Heads what was said by the strange girl. When
the mother of Five Heads heard that, she went and brought
the girl into his house. She took a mat and spread it on the
ground. Then, in the evening, Five Heads arrived from
hunting.
She asked that person, Where do you come from ?"
His mother said, "Ask of her."
Accordingly, Five Heads asked her where she came from.
The girl told him why she had come to his village.
Then said Five Heads, "Before I marry you, I will
send a message to your father, that you may know you are
allowed by him to be married to me."
That girl agreed that the message should be sent. An
answer was returned that they had no objection, if the girl
loved that person.
Accordingly, Five Heads said to the people of his village,
"Are you willing that I should marry this girl?" They
were willing.
He paid for her twenty head of cattle. The marriage
price was sent to the father of the girl. The parents were
very well satisfied. There came a message to the effect that
they were very well satisfied. After a while, that girl was
made the great wife at the village of Five Heads.*
o [A many-headed monster is mentioned in the story of Usikclumi
Kahlokohloko, which occurs in Bishop Callaway's Nursery Tales," &c.,
of the Zulus, Vol. I. Part 1. pp. 41-47.]
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
From Blauberg, in the north.of the Transvaal, and Saul's
Poort, in the west, a little information respecting some
Betshuana ideas and customs has been made accessible to
us. Full of interest as this is, it yet does little more than
reveal the existence of wide fields for further inquiry.
THE GODS OF THE BASUTO.*
(Communicated by the Rev. A. Kropf, Superintendent of Berlin
Missions, from information sent by the Rev. Stech.)
Hitherto it was always reported that the Basuto had no
Gods, they had only an idea of a Modimo who is called
Ralabepa by several tribes. The more remarkable, there-
fore, is what we find in the diary of the Berlin Missionary,
the Rev.-Stech, who is stationed at Blauberg, in Trans-
valia, among Malebocho's tribe, of about 20,000 people. He
writes on the 19th of October, 1877 :-
In explaining the articles of our belief, the belief in the
only true God was the chief topic of instruction. I asked
about their Gods, and heard twelve names of twelve different
Gods. At the head of these stands Ralabepa, the Father
of all might and power,'to be feared for his revenge, and
power of fire; he lives behind the land of Sewase, among
the Basuetlas (there he is called Ralawimpa). Again
there is the God of Water, called Ramochasoa. He lives
on the bottom, from which the fountains rise, for which
reason the Basuto do not like digging near fountains.
Behind my Station, in the open field, there is a long stone
like a column, in which, they say, lives Ramaepa, who
watches the field, that the enemy may not cross the
boundary. The Basuto frighten their children by calling
Makofatsiloe, Maseletsoane, Manakisoe, Ngoalenkalo. Every
district, it seems to me, has its own God. One that is
0 The word Basuto is probably used here in its wider sense as
equivalent to Eastern Betshuana.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
generally known and feared very much is Sedatyane, who
lives in the middle of the country in a thick forest near
Mareme. In the neighbourhood of his seat, nobody is
allowed to cut wood, and if children come near, they are
certainly caught and illtreated. Greatly feared by bad
characters and such as wish to lay hands on one of
the Chief's family, is the poisonous snake Toona, the'God
of Revenge. If the children and half-grown people are
brought to the circumcision, which is now done in opposition
to the old practice, when only grown up people, men and
women, were seen at it, they must know most of these Gods,
besides the formulas of prayers and tunes which belong to
the worship of these Gods; especially they must know the
tune of the little bird Ihohoropo, which is revered
very much. If anybody does not know this bird, he is
certainly to be beaten; for which purpose some switches
are always ready at hand. They have also a God of Dance,
Lotiloe. Of the celestial bodies, not the sun, but a large
comet, called Modudutsa, is. adored.
It will be really worth while to inquire more thoroughly
into this matter, and to ascertain how far this superstitious
belief in Gods or demons can be traced.
A. K.
CUSTOMS AND SUPERSTITIONS AMONG
THE BETSHUANA.
(From information contributed by Miss J. P. Meeuwsen, in a letter
dated Saul's Poort, 16 January, 1878.)
When rain is needed, and the gardens (i.e., Native
gardens) are getting dry, a hunting expedition is formed,
and a certain sort of game, fit for the occasion, is sought
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
for. Only a part of the animal is used; and the sorcerers
are very unwilling to tell what is done with it.
Sometimes, when an ox has been killed, the stomach is
burned towards evening ; for they say that the black smoke
will gather the clouds, and cause the rain to come.
Sometimes, when the rain is seen falling at a distance, an
arrow is smeared with some molemo (the word means both
poison and medicine), and the rain is beckoned to come to
them, in the firm belief that it will do so. When their
sorceries fail to bring rain, it is said that some other sorcerer
who envies them has kept it back,
To avert disease, or prevent it from entering their legae
or town, a pointed stone is planted in the ground in the
middle of the entrance to their town (each town being
enclosed in a hedge of bushes), or a crossbar is put at the
same place (viz., at the entrance), smeared with some
molemo or medicine. When this is done, they imagine
themselves safe.
Widows are most wonderfully treated. When a
woman's husband is dead, she may not enter a town, unless
she has been under the hands of a sorcerer. She must
remain at some distance from the town; then a little milk
from every cow is taken to her, which mixture of milk she
must boil with her food. Dung from the cattle pens is
also taken to her, and with this, mixed with some molemo,
she must rub herself. If this ceremony be not gone through,
it is thought that all the cattle in the town will surely die.
In travelling, when the natives draw near to a town or
location, and are rather hungry, they take a stone, and
put it into the branches of a tree, or some grass, and put
a stone on it in the road, imagining that this will induce
the people, with whom they wish to stay, to wait for them
with their meal.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
THE CEREMONY OF DIPHEKU.
(Contributed by the Rev. Roger Price, L.M.S.)
Among the Bamangwato, living at Shoshong, there is a
ceremony which the natives call Dipheku, and which is
generally performed once a year. I believe it is also
common among other Becwana tribes; but it was at
Shoshong that I more particularly observed it. It may
perhaps be regarded as a kind of yearly sacrifice, which is
intended to protect the town, i.e., the tribe, from all the
ills which might befall it during the year, such as war,
external or internal, pestilence, &c. There are often
present on these occasions Doctors (Dingaia) from other
tribes, to assist the Chief and the Doctors of his own town.
The animal to be sacrificed must be a black bull. It
appears that no other colour will do. The animal is brought
into the town, and has its eyelids sewn together so as
effectually to blind it. In this state it is allowed to go
wherever it likes for two or three days. Then it is killed
in a particular way. Most of the flesh is cooked under
the superintendence of the Doctors, and is distributed
among the Chief men of the town. Certain parts of the
animal, such as the blood, gall, &c., are taken and made
into a decoction with all manner of roots and herbs. Some-
times I am told that the bodies or bones of twins of the
human species, which were always regarded as of ill omen
and destroyed accordingly, are used for the same purpose,
i.e., for making the decoction. When it is ready for use, it is
taken all over the town. In the Kgotla, or place of rendezvous,
of the Chief, there is a pole planted in the ground near the spot
where HisMajestyusuallysits. This pole is daubed with the
decoction, and generally there is besides a bladder or horn,
containing some of the stuff, suspended from the top of the
pole. A similar pole will be found at the Kgotlas of most
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
of the headmen of the town. All the entrances to the
town are guarded by a pole, or, if wide, by two or three
poles spliced together. These poles lie on the ground across
the entrance, and are well smeared with the decoction,
Then again all the footpaths leading to the town from
different parts of the country are similarly guarded. Some.
times, poles are planted alongside the path, similar to those
at the Kgotlas; or a horn containing some of the decoction
will be suspended from the branch of a tree. These are
sometimes found at a considerable distance from the town;
and it is supposed that at sight of these things a hostile
army coming into the country will nyera marapa, or that
the marrow will ooze out of their bones and they will be
helpless. Or if it be a Doctor or wizard from a neighbour-
ing tribe, coming to sow the seed of sedition or pestilence,
or to destroy the corn by placing charms in the corn-lands
which will frighten away the rain,his plans will be frustrated,
or he himself will be caught in the act.
R. P.
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